title: Glucose-free conditions induce the expression of AMPK in dental pulp cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is aimed to test whether glucose-free conditions induce the activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and, to investigate association with AMPK expression and cell viability in human dental pulp cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human dental pulp cells were initially maintained in culture medium containing glucose and the medium was subsequently changed to glucose-free medium. To evaluate the expression of AMPK, quantitative real-time RT-PCR, Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were carried out. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of AMPK mRNA in glucose free conditions was 2.0-2.5 fold higher than the control at 1, 2 and 3 h (P<0.01). The expression of phosphorylated-AMPK was characterized by Western blot analysis and by immunofluorescence. Compound C-pre-treated group showed a decline of both AMPK expression and cell viability, while AICAR-pre-treated group showed an increase of AMPK and maintain of cell viability at regular level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AMPK plays an important role on fluctuating in accordance with glucose availability and protects cell viability from glucose free condition in human dental pulp cells.
authors.affiliation: Oral Health Science Center hrc8, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan; Department of Endodontics and Clinical Cariology, Chiba, Japan; Department of Pathology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: tmuramat@tdc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muramatsu
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yuasa
authors.forename: Kumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shibukawa
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furusawa
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimono
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; D005947:Glucose
keywords: AMPK; Cell viability; Dental pulp cell; Energy crisis; Glucose free condition